Equipment for moving people in height in non horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to equipment intended to moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces, allowing their translation vertically and horizontally, comprising a chute with a docking and fixing system, engine for the horizontal displacement engine for the vertical displacement, suspension cable for the harness of the operator, wireless control and safeguarding system for rescue and recovery.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to equipment intended to moving people inheight in non-horizontal surfaces, allowing their translation verticallyand horizontally.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many types of equipment are known in the art intended to allow thedisplacement of people and/or cargo in height in non-horizontalsurfaces. One example of this equipment is disclosed in Japanese PatentNo. JP2000318986 that allows the displacement of people and/or cargo inmoving platforms. Or as in Korean Patent No. KR20100085204 whichdiscloses an apparatus that allows the displacement of a cage fortransporting people and/or cargo, through a system of ropes and pulleys.

There are other devices that, allowing the displacement of peoplewithout the need of transport cages or moving platforms, are only ableto make it vertically, requiring that the horizontal positioning beeffected by manual adjustments, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,072,840 where an engine performs the vertical translation, but thehorizontal translation is performed manually. Or the case of U.S. PatentNo. US2004055824 that discloses equipment for the vertical movement infacades. Or U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,282 that discloses a fixed equipmentthat is remotely controlled, and allows the vertical displacement ofpeople.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an equipment intended to moving peoplein height in non-horizontal surfaces, allowing their translationvertically and horizontally.

It is an equipment that, by considering and improving upon the conceptsthat are part of the previously described patents, has the advantage ofallowing that, in a single machine, it is possible to safely performvertical and horizontal displacement, simultaneously or separately,avoiding the use of moving platforms, chairs or transport cages,allowing that the operator does not have to leave the machine to performits repositioning, or the need to have other people to do so.

It is, additionally, an equipment that when operated by remote control,prevents the existence of cables near the operator, which typicallydisturbs his or her work. And, since it is controlled by the operator,allows the same to, at any time, decide on the best position to carryout his or her work, not needing any help to do so.

Being a device that does not require the installation of permanent andcomplex structures, it becomes easy to move it to where it is needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 represent the diametric perspective view, respectively,without and with the housing (5).

FIGS. 3 and 4 represent the front view, respectively, without and withthe housing (5).

FIGS. 5 and 6 represent the rear view, respectively, without and withthe housing (5).

FIGS. 7 and 8 are, respectively, the right side view and the left sideview of the apparatus of the invention.

In these figures the various components comprising the device of theinvention are depicted:

runner (1) with an engaging and fastening system;

engine for the horizontal displacement (2);

engine for the vertical displacement (3);

harness suspension cable of the operator (4);

housing (5) in which the equipment permitting the vertical displacementis installed, namely the engine for the vertical displacement (3), thedrum (6), the electric brake (8) and the vertical brake (16);

drum (6) for the winding/unwinding of the suspension cable of theharness of the operator;

emergency device for the controlled descent (7);

electric brake (8);

support system for the winding/unwinding of the suspension cable of theharness of the operator(9);

runner stop (10);

horizontal limit means detector (11); and

travel limit plate to activate it (12);

rotational gear (13);

vertical limit means detector (14);

horizontal brake (15);

vertical brake (16);

overload detection system (17);

suspension coupling system (18); emergency device coupling system (19)connected to the emergency device for the controlled descent (7);

Vertical limit waffle (20).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to equipment for moving people in heightin non-horizontal surfaces, allowing their translation vertically andhorizontally.

By the below designated “suspension cable” is intended any type ofequipment required to achieve the proposed objective, namely cables,chains, ropes, or the like.

The operator properly placed on the harness carriage, which in turn,through a coupling system (18), is placed in the suspension cable of theharness of the operator (4). Through the remote control that he or sheis holding, the operator can start the engine (3) that allows itsvertical displacement, or if the horizontal movement is intended, startthe engine (2). If a problem occurs with the engine (3) of the verticaldisplacement, or with the suspension cable of the harness of theoperator (4), the existence of an emergency device for the controlleddescent (7), independent from the equipment, connected to the operatorthrough an emergency device coupling system (19), enables the descent ofthe operator to the ground, without needing any outside help. In case offailure of the equipment, as the operator is connected to the emergencydevice for the controlled descent (7) through the emergency devicecoupling system (19), the operator can release him or herself from thesuspension coupling system (18), passing the load to the emergencydevice for the controlled descent (7), and descend to the ground. Whenthis device is loaded, it slows the rope passing through it, for a safedescent from the operator to the ground.

The suspension cable of the harness of the operator (4) is an equipmentmanufactured in any material suitable for the purpose, depending itschoice on the efforts that it may be subject to, namely steel cable,chain or cable of natural or synthetic fibers.

All this equipment is suspended on a runner (1) which, on the other handis fixed, through fixing systems, on the upper limit of the surface onwhich the operator intends to move.

The vertical displacement system is equipped with several devicesalready on the market, such as an engine (3) that sets the drum (6) inmotion, from which the cable harness suspension of the operator (4) iswound/unwound and allows for the ascent/descent of the operator, anelectric brake (8) which allows the stop in the event of power failure,a support system to the winding/unwinding of the suspension cableharness of the operator (9), a cable tensioning on the drum (6) whichprevents the accidental unwinding, a vertical brake (16) for enablingthe descent without resorting to energy, vertical limit switching means(14) stopping the engine (3) when the vertical travel limit waffle (20)in the suspension cable reaches it, and an overload detection system(17) through a spring system and a micro switch that detects if thelifted weight is bigger than the allowed upper limit and stops the gearthat allows the vertical upper movement. The vertical limit switchingmeans (14) is either a mechanical or an electronic switch.

The horizontal displacement system, whose left/right movement iseffected (1) with an engagement and fixing system applied at the top ofthe surface, being equipped with an engine (2) with a rotational gear(13) that rotates in order to allow the cable, chain or rope to be movedin order to perform the horizontal movement of the person, i.e., if thegear turns in one direction, the person is moved left, and moved rightwhen the gear turns in the opposite direction; horizontal limitswitching means (11) stopping the engine (2) when it hits the travellimit plate (12) before reaching the runner stop (10) preventing thecontinuation of the horizontal movement in that direction, and a systemfor the winding/unwinding of the power cord. The horizontal limitswitching means (11) is either a mechanical or an electronic switch.

1. Equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces withvertical translation and horizontal translation, comprising: a runnerwith an engagement and fixing system; an engine for the horizontaldisplacement; an engine for the vertical displacement; a runner stop; asuspension cable of the harness of the operator; a drum for thewinding/unwinding of the suspension cable of the harness of theoperator; electric brake; a support system to the winding/unwinding ofthe suspension cable of the harness of the operator and a sensor of theend of the course at the top, comprising: a rotational gear; horizontallimit switching means; a vertical travel limit waffle to activate thevertical limit switching means; vertical limit switching means; a travellimit plate to activate the horizontal limit switching means; a systemfor the winding/unwinding of the power cord; a cable tensioning devicein the drum to prevent the accidental unwinding; a vertical brake; andan overload detection system.
 2. The equipment for moving people inheight in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontaltranslation of claim 1, further comprising an emergency device thatenables the controlled descent, independent from the equipment,connected to the operator through the emergency device coupling system,allowing the operator releasing him or herself from the suspensioncoupling system, passing the load to the emergency device for thecontrolled descent, and descend to the ground.
 3. The equipment formoving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical andhorizontal translation of claim 1, wherein the suspension cable of theharness of the operator being selected from the group consisting of asteel cable, a chain, and a cable of natural or synthetic fibers.
 4. Theequipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces withvertical and horizontal translation of claim 2, wherein the suspensioncable of the harness of the operator being selected from the groupconsisting of a steel cable, a chain, and a cable of natural orsynthetic fibers.
 5. The equipment for moving people in height innon-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation ofclaim 1, wherein the horizontal limit switching means is either amechanical or an electronic switch.
 6. The equipment for moving peoplein height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontaltranslation of claim 1, wherein the vertical limit switching means iseither a mechanical or an electronic switch.
 7. The equipment for movingpeople in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontaltranslation of claim 1, wherein the equipment is suspended on a runner,said runner being fixed through fixing systems, on the upper limit ofthe surface on which the operator intends to move.